🌟REVIEW: "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson (Childrens Fiction, Picture Book)

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

Publisher: HarperCollins Genre: Childrens Fiction, Picture Book Publication Date: 1955

Other Books In Series: Harold's Fairy Tale Harold's Trip to the Sky Harold at the North Pole Harold's Circus A Picture for Harold's Room Harold's ABC The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon

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Description from Publisher:

Let Harold and his purple crayon lead you on a fantastic journey of the imagination. The beloved classic is now available as a board book, perfect for little hands at bedtime.

My Rating:

My Musings:

This is a classic and there is no doubt in my mind why it has enchanted several generations! (This was originally published in 1955, over 60 years ago). It is truly timeless! Harold is a boy who goes on an adventure, created by his imagination and the help of a purple crayon. If he can think it, he can draw it, and experience it. This is such a delight to read and my son loves seeing what Harold draws and the natural directions his mind takes him. The illustrations are simple, mostly purple line drawings in the style of a small child (since Harold is drawing the scenes), but clever and interesting to the youngest audience. I especially love the way that it encourages imagination and creativity, and is a great example of not needing much more than a crayon to go on an adventure. Recently, oversized board books seem to be popping up and this is the version we purchased. It's a great size and I would recommend it!

My Source: Purchased from HomeGoods.

About the Author
Pseudonym for David Johnson Leisk

🌟REVIEW: "The Storybook Knight" by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty (Childrens books, Fantasy)

The Storybook Knight by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty
	Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky Genre: Childrens books, Picture Book, Fantasy Publication Date: September 6, 2016 (Affiliate links)
Description from Publisher:
Even dragons can’t resist a good story… Even though Leo would rather sit at home and read, his parents send him out into the world in the hopes that Leo will become a famous knight. But when Leo comes up against the land’s most fearsome beasts, he soon discovers that scary monsters enjoy a good book as much as anyone…
EXTRAS:
Join Leo’s Storybook Knights, pledge your allegiance and receive a certificate of membership, and download and share Twitter, Facebook and blog images. Download an Activity Kit and Educator's Guide.
My Rating:
Musings:
This is such an adorable book! I love that Leo is a bookworm and a knight who is gentle. The fact that he wins over all of his obstacles by being familiar with the creatures and showing them books just sets this book over the top for me (in the best way). The illustrations are beautiful and I really like the art style. It reminds me of older storybooks. I am always a fan of kids books that have detailed and colorful illustrations and this one does not disappoint in that regard! My second favorite thing about this book (first being the book-reading knight that wins everyone over with books) is that it shows kids that these creatures aren't scary even though they appear to be at first. This is a book that I know will be read and re-read over and over again. Already, my son has requested it be read to him twice, then he "read" it to me and then my husband (read = summarizing each page since he is 3). This is available in hardcover and is just a wonderful and beautiful book!
My Source: I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest, unbiased review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is my 100% own.

About Helen Docherty
I was born and grew up in a small town called Weymouth, on the south coast of England. My family was from Wales, and I inherited from them a love of stories. As a child, I spent most of my time either reading or writing. From an early age I started making books with my own stories and pictures in them. I took this very seriously, and was quite determined that I would be a writer when I grew up (I knew I was never going to make it as a ballet dancer, athlete or pop star).
About Thomas Docherty
Thomas Docherty was born in New Zealand but has spent most of his life in England. He studied metalwork and sculpture and now has a collection of acclaimed picture books. Thomas has been short-listed for a variety of awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009 for Little Boat.
Giveaway
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🌟REVIEW: "Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Library" by Julie Gassman and Andy Elkerton (Childrens Fiction, Picture book)

Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Library by Julie Gassman and Andy Elkerton
	Publisher: Capstone Young Readers Genre: Childrens Fiction, Picture book Publication Date: August 1st 2016 (Affiliate links)
Description from Publisher:
Have you ever thought about bringing your dragon to the library? Don't do it! You might have the best intentions, but that dragon will cause nothing but trouble. Using rhyming text and a diverse cast of characters, this charming picture book will provide some important and some not so important library etiquette in a very entertaining way.
My Rating:
My Musings:
I didn't know exactly what to expect when I started reading this, but really appreciated how well it explained the various things you can do at a library. It's also explained in a fun, rhyming way that young kids will easily understand. The illustrations are really colorful and varied, which I thought was lovely. Not only are there different dragons, but the people/children are different as well. One in particular that stood out to my son (3.5) was of a boy in a wheelchair looking at some books. My son excited pointed out the "Little boy in the train car" and asked me why he was "riding" it. It was a nice teaching moment about wheelchairs, but still subtle enough that it was obvious how that boy was just like the other kids. :) This was whimsical, but educational, and is definitely a story we'll be reading again!
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher for an honest, unbiased review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is my 100% own.

About the Author
Julie Gassman grew up in South Dakota. After college, she traded in small-town life for the world of magazine publishing in New York City. Julie now lives in southern Minnesota with her husband and their three children.
About the Author: Andy Elkerton
After three years studying illustration at Art College, Andy suddenly found himself working in the computer games industry; at a time when computers and consoles were little more than dancing calculators! In 2003, after fifteen years as a games artist, he went back to his illustrative roots and tried his hand at becoming a children's book illustrator. Luckily his hand seemed pretty good at it, and since then he has worked in the fields of picture books, ELT, advertising, television, and character design. His long list of clients includes Usborne Publishing, Franklin Watts, OUP, Scholastic, Hachette, MacMillan, Dreamworks, Ferrero-Kinder, Nestle, Hit Entertainment, and Hasbro. He has also been nominated twice in the prestigious Language Learner Literature Awards. Andy likes doing pictures that are bright, colourful, and imaginative. Oh, and Monsters...he likes doing Monsters! He currently lives in the town of Oban, on the West coast of Scotland, with his wife and three "test subjects" (little kids).